Engine starting mechanism



May 10, 1938. F. A. STEIN v ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 31, 1936 MIL INVENTOR BY Fred ,4.26/)7 Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED STATES ENGINE STABTIN G MECHAN'ISM Fred A. Stein, Jersey City, N. J., assignorvto Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Grange,V N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 31, 1936, Serial No. 98,781

This invention relates to engine starters adapted for utilizing uid pressure as from air precompressed into a reservoir or from an explosive cartridge, the latter embodiment being illustrated 5 in thev preferred showing of the drawing.

One of the objects of this invention is to obtai a relatively large number of turns from a relatively short piston travel.

Another object is to provide means for obtainl0 ing a corresponding number of turns of the driving jaw independently of the piston.

Another object of the Invention is to provide improvements in the type of engine starter disclosed in the application of Romeo M. Nardone,

I5 Serial No. 80,885 iiled in the United States Patent Oiice on May 20, 1936, the nature and scope of which improvements are indicated in the accompanying drawing and the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying o the invention. It is to be understood however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a denition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose.

Fig. 1 isa view showing the external appearance of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

:0 Fig. :3 is a transverse sectional view along the line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

With reference to the drawing, and more partiularly to Fig. 1, the piston and engine starting gear unit comprises a body member I0 having a :5 ange I2 by which it is secured to the engine crank case i3 as by bolts I4, the flange being conveniently of a size standardized for aircraft engine starters. The engine crankshaft, or other drive shaft (not shown) is provided with an en- .0 gine jaw II engageable by the starter jaw l5 as will be later more fully described.'

Secured in a quickly detachable manner to an annular flange I6 integral with the body Il is a cylinder l1 having a 'closed head Il and a base 5 plate i 9 constituting an integral part of a spliced sleeve 20. Slidably tted within the cylinder l1 is a piston 2l movable with the sleeve 22 which is externally splined as at 23, to cooperate with the internally splined sleeve 2l. In )the cooper- 0 ating grooves 23 and 24 are placed a `series of anti-friction members shown as balls 25, suitable stops' 23 being provided at each end of each groove to prevent excessive movement of the balls. A third sleeve 21 isv drivably connected with the 5 sleeve 22 by helical grooves 28 and 29 which permit the axial travel of the piston-2l relative to the sleeve 2li, but cause rotation of the sleeve 21 in responseto said axial travel. Such rotation is facilitated by the anti-friction balls 4I inserted in the helical grooves 28 and 29. 5

During its travel the hollow shaft 22 slides within the sleeve 28 by means of the splines 23 and 24, and transmits (with the aid of anti-friction balls 4l) the starting torque generated from the piston thrust by the helical groovel connections 1 0 28 and 29, to the sleeve 21, and the friction produced may impose considerable axial pressure on the latter. The anti-friction ball bearings 25 and 4l take such friction reactions which might otherwise impose too much restraint to the return l5, action of the spring 42. This spring 42 has one end resting against the closure plate I9 of the cylinder, and its opposite end abuts the thrust ring 43, which is, in effect, the outer race of a ball bearing assembly 45 axially movable, with but rotatably free of the piston 2|, the intervening bearing balls 45 facilitating free rotation of the outer race 43 of the bearing on the hollow shaft 22, the outer race being possiblyconstrained to rotation by a possible twisting action oi?V the spring 42 as the latter is compressed in' the forward travel of the piston. Piston rings 46 insure against the loss oi pressure as the piston moves forward.

Due toithe bolted split clamp connection 41 .30 between the cylinder l1 and the body flange I6, the former may be quickly detached for removing any fouling that may occur where combustible cartridges are used as the source of uid pressure to move the piston 2l. Similarly, exhaust ring 35 62A may be removed by sliding it over the head end il of externally tapered cylinder l1, after retraction of screw detent $4, and following removal of control housing G4.

One of-the objects of this invention is to obtain 4o a relatively large number of turns from a relatively short piston travel, wherefore, a relatively short lead or helix angle is used for the main driving threads 28 and 29 and the rolling antifriction members 4l and 25 are introduced to in- 415 sure high mechanical eiiiciency in spite of this small angle of helix.

Another object is to provide means for obtaining a corresponding number of turns ofthe driving jaw i5 independently of the piston; and said 50 means is shown as including'a worm shaft 1i mounted in bearings 12 and 12 (Fig. 3) on opposite walls of the upper section 9 of the housingl, and a. worm vgear 14 in meshuwith worm shaft 1i and 4internally splined -as indicated at 16 to re- 55 ceive correspondingly splined discs 11 of a friction clutch 11a the said splined discs '|1 being held in engagement with other splined discs 11, alternating therewith, and in turn splined internally to drive a splined sleeve 18 rotatably mounted (through intermediate bearing sleeves 19 and 9 i on the heretofore described element 29. The outer surface of sleeve 18 has splines 92 on one end thereof and threads 83 on the other, the splines 92 being for the purposerof driving the clutch element 8d, and the threads 83 being for the purpose of holding a clutch setting ring 96 in position to apply the desired degree of compression to springs 81 and thus determining the torque transmitting capacity of the friction clutch Tia. Pressure plates 98 and 89 assist in holding the clutch engaged, the plate 88 also serving as a seat for another spring 93 which exerts pressure upon ratchet-toothed clutch element 8d to hold it yieldably engaged with the abutting ratchet-toothed clutch element 94. At its rearward end cranking jaw I5 has ratchet teeth 91 normally engaged by similar ratchet teeth 91a on the forward end of a clutch element 98, the engaging pressure being supplied by a yieldable coiled spring 99 whose opposite end abuts a collar li held fast to the splines |93 of sleeve |06 by a suitable locking ring |95, the sleeve |06 being splined or keyed to the sleeve 21. Intermediate sleeve |06 and jaw i5 is another sleeve |91 having an obliquely disposed slot |99 therein to receive the head of a pin |99 which is embedded in a radially extending recess in the head portion of sleeve |96, the sleeve 91 being frictionally held to the sleeve portion of jaw I5. Piston 2| has a central extension 32 to which is secured a tube 33 telescopically received within sleeve 21, and having a solid end portion 3d radially bored to receive a spring pressed ball I i I hereinafter more fully described.

The operation of the mechanism so far described is as follows:-

Upon pressure being generated and released from the pressure chamber (not shown) by a pressure element, such as an explosive cartridge, the high pressure fluid is conveyed by means of the pipe connection 48 to the entrance chamber 49 by Way of the slotted wall 50, and acts both upon the piston 2| and the valve 52, thus holding the latter upon its seat 53 against the tendency of the spring 54 to unseat it. There being no resistance other than the spring 42 to the movement of the piston 2|, it is advanced to the left. By reason of the action of spring-pressed ball ||I successively upon grooves and I2 in sleeve 21, the initial movement of the piston 2| will be transmitted to said sleeve 21, and the axial thrust thus imparted to jaW`|5 (through the iiange 3| on sleeve 21) will establish engagement with the engine member Upon such engagement the resulting resistance to further axial travel will cause, first, a commencement of rotation on the part of sleeve |06, and secondly, a slipping of the ball I|I from the grooves |I0 and H2, so that it may be free to ride along the inner bore 21a of the sleeve 21 as the piston continues forward. Meanwhile cranking of the engine proceeds, and during this action the clutch teeth on the rear of sleeve 94 will ratchet idly over the teeth on the forward end of clutch element 84. In this connection, it is noted that the rear annular end of the starter jaw I5 engages the splines 96 of the sleeve 94 for limited axial travel againstthe yieldable spring 95 whereby the above described en-v iianged portion secured to the body I 0 by one or more screws |09. Eventually, the piston will reach a point where the exhaust ports 99 are uncovered, and the iiuid pressure will escape through conduit 6i; the spring Q2 can then return the piston to the normal position shown in the drawing. At whatever point of the travel the engine starts under its own power, it is free to overrun the jaw I5 due to the sloped or angular formation of the teeth, but until this overrunning occurs the jaws I5, II will remain meshed.

As the pressure fluid escapes into exhaust ring 92, and passes along conduit 6| in response to the uncovering of the ports 69, it reaches the ported cage 93 of the control housing 6d (on its way to the exhaust pipe 9|) and from this region it is effective by reason of the connecting passage 95 (which has a width approximately equal to its length), to exert pressure upon the inner side of the valve 52, thereby creating a pressure which, coupled with that of the spring 5ft, is sufficient to lift the valve 52 from its seat 53. When this occurs the remaining pressure fluid in the cylinder Il' may escape to the atmosphere by way of the now opened valve 52 (the extent of movement of which is limited by the annular stop 91) and this escape will continue until the return movement of the piston 2 i-proceeding under the influence of spring i2 which now over-powers the rapidly falling pressure of the escaping fluidreseats the valve 52 by direct contact with the projecting valve stem 68 in the path of the advancing piston, the length of the valve stem 68 being so chosen as to insure a complete seating of the valve just as the piston reaches the position indicated in the drawing on its return stroke. The uid under pressure having by this means escaped, the device is now ready for a second operation by re-admission of pressure fluid through the inlet B8 if and when desired.

A frangible disc 92 divides the exhaust cage 63 from the inlet chambers 48, 49, and is subject to rupture to permit escape of fluid in the extraordinary event of excessive pressure, such rupturing permitting the excessive pressure to escape through exhaust pipe 9|.

When independent operation is desired, thev operator will attach a suitable hand (or power) crank to the projecting slotted tube 36 integrated with worm shaft 1| by suitable means such as the pin 31. Resulting rotation of worm gear 14 and the parts driven therefrom will cause clutch 84, 94 to rotate jaw I5, and such rotation will temporarily carry with it sleeve |01, the latter part riding forward along the oblique slot containing the pin |98, and thus bring jaws |5 and into mesh. Thereafter jaws l5 and Will turn as a unit, while sleeve |01 will be held, by pin |08, from further rotation, while the teeth 91 will ratchet idly over teeth on member 98, allowing the piston driven parts to remain at rest. De-meshing of jaw I5 will be effected as noted in the previous description of the piston driven method of operation.

What is claimed is:-

l. In combination with an engine engaging member, means engageable with said engine engaging member to move the latter into engine engaging position in response to rotation thereof, additional means for moving said enginev engaging member into engine engaging position independently of rotation thereof, means cooperating with said rst named means to produce the rotation necessary to effect engaging movement by operation of said rst named means, and iluid pressure actuated means for causing said second named means td move said engine engaging member into engine engaging position independently of operation of said rotating means.

2. In combination with an engine engaging member, means engageable with said engine engaging member to move the latter into engine engaging position inv response to rotation thereof, additional means for moving said engine engaging member into engine engaging position independently of rotation thereof, means cooperating with said iirst named means to produce the rotation necessary to effect engaging movement by operation of said first named means, and fluid pressure actuated means for causing said second named means to move said engine engaging member into engine engaging position independ tly of operation of said rotating means, said rotating means including a shaft rotatable about an axis disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said engine engaging member.

3. In combination with an engine engaging member, means engageable with'said engine engaging member to move the latter into engine engaging position in response to rotation thereof, additional means for moving said engine engaging member into engine engaging position independently of rotation thereof, means cooperating with said iirst named means to produce the rotation necessary to eiect engaging movement by operation of said first named means, fluid pressure actuated means for causing said second named means to move said engine engaging member into engine engaging position independently of operation of said rotating ineans, said rotating means including a shaft rotatable about an axis disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said engine engaging member and said fluid pressure actuatingy means including a part movable along said last named axis, and means responsive to such axial movement of said fluid pressure actuated means to produce a predetermined amount of rotation of said engine engaging member following movement thereof to engine engaging position.

4. In combination with an engine engaging member, means engageable with said engine engaging member to move the latter into engine engaging position in response to rotation therof,

additional means for moving said engine engaging member into engine engaging position independently of rotation thereof, means cooperating dwith said iirst named means to produce the rotation necessary to eiect engaging movement by operation of said iirst named means, fluid pressure actuated means for causing said second named means to move said engine engaging member into engine engaging position independently of operation of said rotating means, said rotating means including a shaft rotatable about an axis disposed in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said engine engaging member and said fluid pressure actuating means including a part movable along said last named axis, and lmeans responsive to such axial movement of said iluid pressure actuated means to produce a predetermined amount of rotation of said engine engaging member following movement thereof to engine engaging position, said rst named rotating means including clutch elements one of which overruns the other inresponse to operation of said fluid pressure actuated means.

5. In combination with an engine engaging member, means engageable with said engine engaging member to move the latter into engine engaging position in response to rotation thereof, means cooperating with said first named means to produce the rotation necessary to eiect engaging movement by operation of said rst named means, and iiuid pressure actuated means for causing said engine engaging member to move into engine engaging position and to rotate While in said engine engaging position, said first named rotation producing means including clutch elements one of which overruns the other in response to operation of said fluid pressure actuated means.

6. In combination With an engine engaging member, uid pressure actuated means for causing said engine engaging member to move into engine engaging position and to rotate While in said engine engaging position, and additional means for rotating said engine engaging member While in engine engaging position, said rotating means including two sets of clutch elements, and each set including a driven member which overruns the driving member Whenever the speed of 

